Quang Ninh: Creating a difference, promoting the tourism potential of Bai Tu Long Bay

The event of Quang Ninh province announcing and launching tourism itineraries on Bai Tu Long Bay at the end of March recently is the beginning of the policy of expanding sea and island tourism space, reducing pressure on the World Natural Heritage Ha Long Bay.

Ao Tien Passenger Port, serving tourist tours on Bai Tu Long Bay. (Photo: Thanh Van/VNA)

Ha Long Bay has long been a world-famous tourist destination, attracting millions of visitors each year, posing many challenges regarding overcrowding and lack of differentiation in visitor experiences.

In that context, exploiting tourism in Bai Tu Long Bay by combining cruise services with eco-tourism activities and experiences on the islands is a new direction, creating a difference and promoting the available potential of this area.

Bai Tu Long Bay is located in the buffer zone of the World Natural Heritage Ha Long Bay, with more than 300 limestone and sandstone islands, a rich ecosystem, majestic and pristine landscape, not yet affected as much as Ha Long Bay; including many land islands, majestic caves, beautiful beaches, and primeval forests.

In particular, Bai Tu Long National Park has been recognized by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as the 38th ASEAN Heritage Park in the region; the park covers more than 15,783 hectares, with a rich ecosystem and more than 2,400 species of organisms, including 106 rare species, which is an ideal foundation for developing sustainable ecotourism.

Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Ninh Nguyen Viet Dung shared that Bai Tu Long Bay is connected with attractive destinations such as Co To, Cai Chien, Tra Co... forming a complete tourism network.

Ha Long Bay tourism has become a global brand, notably cruises combined with cave tours, which have been strongly exploited.

Therefore, to differentiate and compete effectively, Bai Tu Long Bay needs to aim for a completely new tourism model, emphasizing experience, adventure, ecology and sustainability.

Hiệp hội Du lịch tỉnh Quảng Ninh và Hội Lữ hành Thành phố Hà Nội ký kết thỏa thuận hợp tác. (Ảnh: Thanh Vân/TTXVN) — Quang Ninh Province Tourism Association and Hanoi City Travel Association signed a cooperation agreement. (Photo: Thanh Van/VNA)

Former Director of the Department of Tourism, Vice Chairman of the Quang Ninh Province Business Association Pham Ngoc Thuy said that Bai Tu Long Bay should be positioned as a destination for tourists who love exploring nature, adventure sports and experiencing pristine ecology, and at the same time focus on exploiting the model: Cruise - discovery - adventure - ecology - sea sports.

Along with that, instead of just sightseeing on a boat like in Ha Long Bay, tourism in Bai Tu Long Bay can combine journeys to explore pristine islands, bringing richer experiences such as: Overnight on the islands, combined with camping, stargazing, campfire on the beach...

Mr. Pham Ngoc Thuy suggested that natural coastal cliffs are ideal places to develop rock climbing and hiking sports, based on the exploitation of the mountainous terrain of Cai Bau Island, Ba Mun Island, and Bai Tu Long National Park.

In addition, Bai Tu Long Bay is also an ideal place to organize sailing, kite surfing, surfing, scuba diving activities... based on the exploitation of attractive coral reefs and marine life; kayaking in small bays, sheltered waters around the islands; mountain biking on the large islands of Quan Lan, Ngoc Vung with poetic coastal routes; exploring caves that have not been commercially exploited such as Soi Nhu cave, Phat Co cave...

According to Vietfoot Travel Sales Manager Nguyen Hoai Nam, to enhance tourism in Bai Tu Long Bay, it is necessary to ensure development goes hand in hand with conservation and preventing waste from entering the bay.

Along with that, businesses need to create experiential tourism products that are closely linked to people's lives, so that people become a link in building and developing tourism products such as: fishing experiences, raising aquatic products with people, promoting digital applications to build itineraries and destination maps to help tourists conveniently look up information.

Travel companies share that to create a complete difference from Ha Long, Bai Tu Long Bay needs a systematic communication strategy to build the image of "Wild Paradise - Adventure - Ecology - Sea Sports;" need to cooperate with international travel bloggers, KOLs (people with social influence) to promote new experiences; create a highlight on the world tourism map by registering for international ecotourism awards.

Quang Ninh needs to promote Bai Tu Long Bay tourism as a different destination from Ha Long Bay; call for investment in green tourism projects, sustainable development; develop seasonal tourism to extend the length of stay of tourists; organize tourism events such as the international yacht-sailing festival on Bai Tu Long Bay, eco-tourism festival, seafood food fair, fishing village culture exhibition, folk art performances, etc.

Learning from Ha Long Bay, many opinions also suggest that managers should limit the development of massive tourist fleets in Bai Tu Long Bay, focus on service quality and environmental protection; encourage investment in tourist ships running on clean energy, friendly to the marine ecosystem.